World Under my Feet
by Spunky0ne
Summary: When a suspicious accident shatters Yurio's attempt at the world title and threatens his future as a skater, Victor, Yuuri and their friends rally around him and vow to identify and stop the person who attacked him. Amidst increasing danger, they fight to reach the podium…Otabek/Yurio, Victor/Yuuri, Chris/Masumi
1. Near Eden

_**World Under My Feet**_

**By Spunky0ne**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**_When a suspicious accident shatters Yurio's attempt at the world title and threatens his future as a skater, Victor, Yuuri and their friends rally around him and vow to identify and stop the person who attacked him. Amidst increasing danger, they fight to reach the podium_**.**_…Otabek/Yurio, Victor/Yuuri, Mila/Sara, Chris/Masumi_**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Near Eden**

Loud music floated out of a local pub in Saint Petersburg as light faded from the sky and the area slowly darkened. A light-colored convertible pulled into the parking lot outside and a hawk-faced man in a warm coat and hat climbed out and headed into the building. As he opened the door to the club, music erupted all around him, mingling with the raucous sounds of laughter and clinking glasses and dishes. Most of the tables had been claimed, but he found a place in a corner of the room, from which he could easily see the dance floor, where a crowd of happy and mostly drunk couples danced. From what he could tell, the happiest and drunkest couple was made up of the silvery-haired, Victor Nikiforov, and his husband and student, Yuuri Katsuki. He placed his focus squarely on the two as Victor held Yuuri's slender body close to his, rubbing up against him and teasing him shamelessly with desirous eyes.

"Vitya, what are you doing?" Yuuri laughed.

"What do you mean, _solnyshko_?" Victor laughed, "I'm just dancing with you. If I happen to seduce you, though, I won't be sorry."

"Hehe, I think you're seducing the whole club with your sexy dancing," Yuuri accused him playfully, letting his hands slide down to rub his husband's ass while they exchanged several wet, lusty kisses.

"Oh, you think I'm sexy now? Just wait until we get home!" Victor giggled, "I love you so much like this, Yuu—ri! You're so much more fun when you let down a little bit after a competition."

"We—ll," Yuuri drawled, "Y'can't always be deprivation-ing yourself, right? I got gold in the Four Continents and you got gold in the European Championships."

"I don't think Yurio is _ever_ going to forgive me for using smart strategy to defeat that slinky little body of his and all of that angry stamina."

"You…hic…told'im not to underesh…undereshtimate you as an opponent."

"And he did anyway," Victor sighed, "Such a precocious little thing. I suppose he'll learn eventually, eh Yuuri?"

The two exchanged smirking glances, then burst into laughter and continued their sexy dancing. Across the room from them, the man in the corner of the room continued to observe them with dark, unreadable eyes and a serious expression. His phone buzzed and he removed it from his coat pocket to look at his messages, then he typed a reply to one before turning his attention back to the men on the dance floor.

"Augh," Victor panted, glancing down at his watch, "it's pretty late and I'm getting tired."

"Wanna go home?" Yuuri asked.

"I think so," Victor sighed, shaking his head, "I don't have your stamina, and I have to be up early tomorrow. I'm showing Yakov the plans for my programs for next season."

"Huh, you finished that already?" Yuuri asked, dipping his lovely partner, and almost dropping him, "You're amazing! It'll be a couple of months probably before I know what I'm doing. I'm still focused on the programs I have to do now for worlds."

"Well, it's best for me to think ahead," Victor speculated as Yuuri lifted him and they left the dance floor together, "That way, I can focus more on developing your programs after the world championships. It'll be a lot of work for both of us, but we'll get it done, _da_?"

"Right," Yuuri agreed, "we will."

"Now, no more worries," Victor insisted, "No more thoughts about competitions or restrictions or anything else. Tonight, we eat, we drink and we will have lots of sex when we get home."

"V-victor!" Yuuri laughed, blushing, "You just yelled that right out in front of everyone."

"Like anyone can hear me or is sober enough to care," Victor chuckled flippantly.

He raised his head and looked around, shouting as Yuuri blushed harder, trying to cover his mouth.

"Hey! Hey everyone! I'm going to go home and have sex with my _solnyshko_, Yuuri Katsuki?"

"VICTOR!"

"See, no one even noticed," Victor giggled as Yuuri pushed against him and he fell down on his back on the bench seat, pulling Yuuri down on top of him, "Come, kiss me some, Yuu—ri!"

"Ah, oh my god, I think it's time to mmmph! Time to go home, Vitya."

"I can't wait to get home. I need some kisses now to tide me over."

"Then…then, just kiss me with all of your clothes _on_, okay?"

"Why are you being so grumpy? I told you, no one cares!" laughed Victor, kissing him more fervently, but, to Yuuri's relief, not shedding any more than his shirt.

"V-vitya," Yuuri panted, clenching his husband's shoulders as Victor rubbed against him, plunging deep into his mouth, "Vitya, c-can we…mmmph, can we please go home and do this?"

"One more," Victor demanded.

"All right," Yuuri giggled, but then, we go."

Victor kissed him.

"Right," he said, nodding, "One more and we go."

"Hey!" Yuuri objected, "You already had one more!"

"What? When?" Victor asked, looking at him with an innocent expression, "You said one more!"

"I gave you one more!"

"That was before we both had agreed."

"Oh, fine, one more."

Victor started to kiss him, but Yuuri pushed him away.

"Ah-ah!" he laughed, "I'm not falling for that trick again. You agree this is the last."

"Okay, it's the last…"

Victor kissed him.

"…one and this time, I really mean it."

He started to kiss Yuuri again.

"Hey!" Yuuri laughed, pulling away and dragging his snickering spouse to his feet.

"Okay, okay, we'll go home and have that lots of sex now, all right?"

"Right," Yuuri sighed, shaking his head, "Oh man, you're impossible."

"You _love_ me because I'm impossible…to resist!"

"Right, of course," Yuuri placated his inebriated partner as they stumbled out of the bar, "Where did we leave the car?"

Victor blinked and gave him a stymied look that made Yuuri burst into fits of laughter. The two were so absorbed, they didn't see the hawk-faced man leave the bar and get into his car. The man sat, watching as Yuuri continued.

"We didn't bring a car!" he howled, "We never drive to a bar! I can't believe you fell for that! Vitya, we walked here!"

"Like I'm going to remember that," Victor chided him, "How much _did_ we drink back there?"

"I dunno," Yuuri said, shrugging, "I lost count."

The two young men crossed the parking lot and headed out to the street. The hawk-faced man waited until the two were headed to the nearby corner, then he started his car and crossed the parking lot, moving slowly until he saw the light at the intersection change and the two skaters stepped off the curb and into the crosswalk.

Yuuri registered the sudden sound of an engine being gunned, then screeching tires, Without thinking, he yanked hard on Victor's arm that was entwined with his, and he dove for the safety of the sidewalk. The car roared by without slowing, and careened down the street as the two young men struck the ground with stunning force.

Yuuri sat up quickly, holding his right arm with his left as he looked down at Victor, who laid on his side with blood seeping out from under his head.

"Victor!" Yuuri gasped, his eyes filling with tears.

Ice filled his veins as he saw that his husband remained still and didn't answer him.

"Victor, are you…?"

A deep groan escaped the Russian skater and his eyes began to open.

"Victor!" Yuuri sobbed, touching his husband's face gently.

Victor sat up slowly, swaying as he tried to steady himself.

"Wh-what was that?" he managed.

Yuuri's breath left him for a moment as he spotted blood on the side of Victor's face and pulled his jacket and tore his shirt off to apply pressure to the wounds on his husband's head and cheek.

"You hit your head?" he managed shakily.

"Did I f-fall?" Victor asked dizzily.

Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief as the pub door opened and a man and woman stepped outside, onto the street.

"Excuse me," Yuuri said urgently in hesitant Russian, "My husband needs help."

"Of course," the man answered, "Love, go and inform the security they need to call for medical help."

The woman ran back inside while the man moved quickly to kneel in front of Victor.

"He hit his head and I don't know what else," Yuuri explained in a mixture of Russian and English.

"He fell?"

"N-no!" Yuuri answered, his teeth chattering as the cold began to really set in, "A c-car ran the red light and almost hit us."

Victor's blue-green eyes rounded and looked more coherently into Yuuri's.

"You pulled me back," he mused, "_Solnyshko_, you saved my life! I would have been run down!"

Yuuri hugged Victor tightly, still holding the wadded shirt to Victor's bleeding wounds and crying.

"That was really scary," he sobbed, "You could have died. I could've lost you!"

"I'm okay," Victor said weakly.

"I'm not so sure about that," said the man helping them.

He looked up as his wife rushed out of the club, followed by a security guard and a man who looked like a patron.

"I'm a doctor," the patron of the club explained, "The lady said someone was hurt?"

"My husband!" Yuuri said quickly, "A car ran the red light and almost hit us. Victor fell and hit his head on the ground."

"Okay," the doctor said soothingly, taking Victor's face in his hands and looking more closely, "Can one of you shine some light here?"

"I've got it," the security guard said, removing a flashlight from the belt at his waist and positioning it to illuminate the side of Victor's injured face.

"Let's have a look now," the doctor said, examining the wounds carefully, then looking into Victor's eyes, "Can you tell me your name, sir?"

"You don't know me?" Victor asked.

"Well, of course I do," the doctor chuckled, "I'm more interested in if _you_ know who you are?"

"Of course I know who I am," Victor said, frowning, "I'm Victor Nikiforov, the figure skater."

"Okay, okay," the doctor chuckled, "You know who you are. Good. Do you remember coming to the club tonight?"

"Well, of course, I…"

Victor paused, frowning.

"Hmm, actually, I'm not sure."

"I suspected."

The doctor gave Yuuri a sympathetic look.

"You should probably take him to the emergency room, just to be safe. He'll most likely be all right, but it's best to play it on the safe side."

"I understand," Yuuri replied, taking out his phone.

"Oh, no, I don't want to go to the hospital!" Victor objected.

"You hit your head on the ground," Yuuri chided him, "And you're not making sense."

"Well, I was drinking a lot," Victor countered.

"That's just another reason why I can't trust what you say," Yuuri argued.

"You should listen to your partner," the doctor said kindly, "Why don't you let me take you there? I wasn't drinking. I will get you there safely and make sure you receive proper care right away."

"W-well," Victor said hesitantly, "I…"

"Of course he'll go," Yuuri said, covering Victor's objecting mouth, "We'll both go with you. Come on, Vitya. Let me help you up."

"You don't have to help me," Victor said, starting to stand.

He paused, swaying, then fell against Yuuri, groaning and holding his head.

"I'll just help you to the doctor's car," Yuuri chuckled, holding his staggering partner on his feet as the doctor showed the way to the car.

They settled in the back seat and Yuuri let Victor lean against his shoulder.

"My arm hurts too," Victor moaned softly, "and my side."

"We may need to take a couple of x-rays," the doctor sighed, heading for the hospital.

Victor groaned and leaned against Yuuri the rest of the way, until the car stopped in front of the emergency room and the doctor quickly explained to an orderly what had happened.

"Mr. Nikiforov was nearly hit by a car and fell. He may have a concussion, and will need his right side and arm x-rayed. I can handle it myself, if it's too busy."

"Oh, you don't have to Doctor…"

"It's fine," the doctor said, shaking his head, "I only have a few hours until I have to come in anyway. I'll take this one. Just put them in a room."

"Of course."

Victor and Yuuri were led into the facility and to a quiet room in the back. Several minutes later, the doctor arrived and examined Victor more closely, then sent him with a nurse to have the x-rays conducted. Yuuri waited anxiously in the examination room until the nurse and doctor returned with him.

"How are you feeling?" Yuuri asked as Victor sat down and the nurse gently placed his injured arm in a sling.

"I'm a little sore, but mostly just very tired," Victor sighed, "but what about you? You weren't hurt at all, Yuuri?"

"Oh, no," Yuuri said dismissively, "I actually saw what was happening and had a chance to react."

"I never even saw the car coming," Victor admitted.

"The two of you need to file a police report of the incident," the nurse suggested, "The person who did this could have killed someone."

"We'll take care of it," Victor promised.

"You should go home now and get some rest," the doctor advised the two men. I didn't find any fractures, but Victor does have bruised ribs and a badly sprained wrist. He also appears to have a slight concussion, so he will need to follow the instructions that we are sending with you. Victor, you might want to see your own physician for a follow-up appointment in a few days. You were very lucky tonight that the outcome wasn't worse."

"We were also lucky that you were right there to help us," Yuuri said gratefully, "Thank you."

"Yes," Victor agreed, "thank you."

"It's no problem."

The two men left the hospital and caught a ride home, where they arrived very late at night. Yuuri helped his husband undress, then he went to get him a pain reliever and water. Victor swallowed the pills and laid down in the bed with Yuuri curled up beside him.

"Are you feeling okay now?" Yuuri asked.

"Mmhmm," Victor mumbled sleepily, "just a bit sore. I'll be all right, so please don't worry."

"How can I not worry?" Yuuri asked anxiously, "You could have been killed, Vitya. I still don't know how that guy couldn't see us. He just drove at us like he didn't care…or like he wasn't trying to stop at all."

"But, why would anyone do something like that?" Victor mused, "He was probably a drunk driver…and we don't even know if it was a he or a she. Did you get the license number?"

"No," Yuuri sighed, "it went by too fast. I just saw a light-colored blur. I was too worried about you to think about anything else."

"Well, there's no use worrying about it now."

"We're still making a police report in the morning."

"All right, _solnyshko_," Victor yawned, hugging him close, "We will do that."

"I wonder what was wrong with that guy. Maybe you're right that it was just a drunk driver."

"Probably, he was. Go to sleep now, Yuuri. Everything is okay. I'm going to be fine and so are you."

"Yeah," Yuuri sighed, closing his eyes, "thank god."


	2. The Ice Princes

**Chapter 2: The Ice Princes**

"Yuri, get that leg up higher!" Yakov snapped, "What's gotten into you today? Have you forgotten that you have a major competition in a few days?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm not stupid, old man," Yurio said irascibly, "Stop bugging me so I can concentrate!"

He made a turn and noticed the absence of the other skater who usually shared the rink with him during his morning session.

"Hey, where the hell is Victor this morning, anyway?" he asked, "Is he slacking off again, so close to the competition. You should be yelling at him, not me."

He made a little sound of surprise as the old man's face took on a genuinely worried look.

"Vitya was almost hit by a car last night," Yakov explained, "He was injured when Yuuri Katsuki pulled him out of the car's path."

"Damn it!" Yurio swore, "Is he all right? Is the pork cutlet bowl okay?"

"Yuuri wasn't hurt. He told me that Vitya has a mild concussion, a sprained wrist and a lot of cuts and bruises, but if he rests between now and the competition, he will be able to compete, though he may not be at his best if he can't practice much."

"The stupid asshole," Yurio huffed, relieved now that he new his friends weren't hurt, "He was probably drunk and stumbled out into the street, right?"

Yakov's frown deepened and he crossed his arms as he answered.

"Yuuri was clear that, although the two of them had been drinking, both remembered that the light for them to walk was on, and Yuuri recalled that he heard the car's engine accelerating as it approached the red light."

"It was accelerating," Yurio repeated, his expression darkening, "Are you saying some son of a bitch was trying to hurt those two? Trying to kill them?"

"Their intent is unknown and the police so far cannot conclude anything for certain. But Yuuri passed on a warning to me, and you should inform Otabek when you see him."

"Inform me of what?" the handsome Kazakhstani skater asked as he walked into the rink preparation area, "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, something happened," Yurio said in a low, furious tone, "Someone may have been trying to run down the pork cutlet bowl and that idiot, Victor, last night while they were walking home from the club they go to."

"We can't be sure, but it did look as though someone was trying to injure or kill Yuuri Katsuki and Vitya," Yakov added, "If someone _is_ out to harm them, then all of the highly ranked skaters could be at risk before worlds. You two need to be very careful when you are out in public. I have arranged for a bodyguard for those two, and because of your high ranking, I want to do the same for you."

"What? Are you kidding me?" Yurio complained, "You said they don't even know if this was just a drunk or reckless driver or if they meant to hit those two fools. I don't need someone following me around everywhere. It would be a pain in the ass."

"I don't know," Otabek said, frowning, "There seems to be enough concern that you should consider it."

"Are _you _going to get a bodyguard too, then?" Yurio demanded, "You're a top-seeded skater too."

"Hmm, I'm not sure," Otabek answered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "but while we decide about that, perhaps we should watch out for each other."

"How so?" Yurio asked.

"Maybe you should come and stay with me at my apartment or I should stay in yours…just until we know if there is a threat," Otabek answered, his tone revealing nothing more than calm concern.

Yurio blushed brightly.

"You want to move in together?" he asked, his voice shaking very slightly.

"For our safety," Otabek reasoned, his quiet eyes focusing on the Russian youth's widened ones and his usually unsmiling lips turning upward just a little.

"You really think there's danger to the rest of us?"

Otabek shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not. But if you don't want to hire a bodyguard while we are waiting for news, this seems like a good middle ground."

"I'll leave it to the two of you then," Yakov grunted, turning away.

He glanced down at his watch and made a sound of disapproval.

"Yuri, when Yuuri Katsuki arrives, you tell him I want to talk to him. If Vitya comes with him, then send him to me also."

"You don't think Victor will be here for pork cutlet bowl's training?" Yurio asked, "He was feeling that bad?"

"He was already sore and starting pain medication and he's a thirty-year-old who has been competing professionally since he was thirteen. He is going to be in agony this morning."

"Are you sure that pork cutlet bowl will come to practice if Victor's feeling that bad?"

"Vitya won't let his husband neglect his training. Yuuri will come. Vitya might push himself and come as well, that is, if the bodyguard doesn't stop him."

A little smirk rose on Yurio's lips.

"You hired a brute to watch them?" he asked, "Is he another one who used to work for the government?"

"Yes," Yakov replied, his own lips quirking, "_she_ is."

Otabek gave the younger skater a curious look as Yurio laughed and turned his attention back to his skating.

"What's so amusing?" he asked.

"Those two will be protected," Yurio answered as he turned and gathered speed.

He launched his agile body into a perfect quadruple salchow, then headed back towards his good friend.

"They will be protected and this woman will also give them a very hard time, I am sure."

"And that makes you happy?" Otabek asked, looking amused.

"Fuck yes, it does," Yurio snorted, "Those two are a thorn in my side all of the time with their sexy talk and making out and teasing me when they get lucky and beat me. They deserve this and I'm going to enjoy every minute."

Otabek watched, his calm eyes twinkling very slightly as Yurio executed a lovely spin combination.

"Now that you know they are going to be okay, you will," he said softly, "You are always intriguing, to say that least…Yuri Plisetsky."

XXXXXXXXXX

Yuuri felt the bed move, then his eyes flew open at the sound of his husband's low, anguished groan.

"Vitya!" he called out, climbing onto his knees beside the Russian skater, who only groaned again fitfully, "Vitya, are you all right?"

"Ow," Victor whimpered, trying hard to hold his aching body perfectly still, "Don't move the bed, Yuuri. It hurts. It fucking hurts!"

"Okay," Yuuri answered, trying hard to keep his voice from shaking, "tell me exactly what hurts."

"I think fucking _everything_," Victor complained, keeping his body curled around a sympathetically whimpering Maccachin, who thumped his tail and turned his head to lick Victor's sweaty face.

"Ow! Hold still, Macca," Victor groaned.

"I'll get you a pain pill," Yuuri said, climbing carefully out of the bed, "Don't move, okay?"

"Nooooooo," Victor panted, "I don't like taking those."

"Don't be a baby, Vitya," Yuuri chided him as he pulled a yukata around his slim body, leaving the front open, "You only had one dose last night. Your doctor said not to just endure the pain. You need relief so you can get up and around."

"Oh god, I can't move, Yuuri!" Victor moaned.

"That's why you need this," Yuuri said patiently as he returned to the bed and handed his still reluctant husband a large pill and a glass of water, "Go on, now."

Victor looked as though he still wanted to complain, but he sat up, grimacing and swallowed the pill with a mouthful of water.

"Drink all of the water I gave you," Yuuri reminded him.

"Okay, okay, Doctor Katsuki," Victor said sulkily.

Victor nudged Maccachin off the bed and started to put his legs over the edge, but a sharp pain made him stop and swear.

"Ow, goddamn it!"

"Take it slowly," Yuuri scolded him, moving to help him, "The pain pill takes a little time to kick in."

"Now you tell me," Victor said, brushing the hair away from his eye.

Yuuri took one look at his husband's face and winced.

"Oh man, that looks bad," he said, moving to sit down gingerly beside Victor.

"It stings," Victor sighed, "but my arm hurts more…and my head."

"The doctor said that you would be really sore after sleeping, and that it could be worse tomorrow than today. Weren't you paying attention at all?"

"I was hurt and still drunk when he told me everything," Victor whimpered, touching the scratches on his face lightly with his fingers and flinching.

"Don't touch it!" Yuuri exclaimed, pulling his hand away.

"Ow!" Victor yelped, "My wrist, Yuuri!"

"Oh, sorry!" his partner apologized hastily, "Damn, you're just hurting all over, aren't you? But, at least your bangs cover up a lot of the cuts and bruising on your eye and face."

"That doesn't make me feel any better. I hurt all over," Victor sulked.

"Sorry," Yuuri said sympathetically, his arm wrapping around his injured lover, gently, "I'm pretty achy too, although I was able to protect myself better since I saw what was happening."

"I haven't forgotten that you saved my life," Victor said quietly, "We could have died last night."

"Yeah," Yuuri agreed, tightening slightly the arms that held Victor, "I'm glad neither of us was hurt too badly. As much as your injuries hurt, at least they are minor."

"They don't feel minor," Victor sighed raggedly, "although, I think the pain pill is helping."

"Can you get up now? Here, let me help you."

Go slow," Victor warned him, "it still hurts a lot."

"Okay, we'll go slowly."

Yuuri cautiously supported Victor around the waist as he rose onto shaky legs. He swayed a little and swore several times, then he reached over and picked up his robe from the bed. Yuuri helped him slip the robe on, then he smiled at his husband, wearing a relieved expression.

"The worst is over for now, right?" he said, trying to sound cheerful.

"If you say so," Victor said, his voice still a little sulky, "I still hurt, just not as badly."

"You need to walk around a little and stretch out, and we should have something to eat."

Victor glanced at the clock and shook his head, then he winced and his face crinkled up as his head ached and throbbed for a moment.

"It's getting late."

"We're taking our time," Yuuri insisted, turning Victor towards the bathroom.

They had only taken a few steps when they heard a knocking on the front door.

"I'll go get that," Yuuri said, letting Victor go, but pausing to watch that he could stay on his feet, "I'll be right back."

Victor limped into the bathroom, groaning and using his uninjured hand to hold his aching side. He turned his head to peek at his torso and groaned again at the bruising on his ribs.

_I'm glad they're not broken, but damn, they hurt! The pain pill is helping, though._

He slipped out of his yukata and walked naked back into the bedroom to choose something to wear. He heard Yuuri's voice and a scolding feminine voice, then Yuuri's voice objecting. A moment later, the bedroom door opened and an older woman with sharp, stern features and silver hair pulled back into a tight bun, stepped into the room with a sputtering Yuuri on her heels.

"Wait! Don't go in there. Victor is na-…"

He paused, blinking as Victor met the old woman's eyes unabashedly.

"Who are you?" he asked, frowning, "and do you mind waiting outside until I get my pants on at least?"

"I am Gavriila, sent by Yakov to watch you," the woman said shortly, "Judging by those bruises, you need the watching."

"Well, as I said," Victor answered calmly, "you can watch me all you want when I am dressed."

Gavriila's icy blue eyes raked over Victor's body and she scowled and shook her head.

"What's to see?" she huffed dismissively, turning out the door again, "I will make something for the bruises."

"You don't have…" Victor began.

He broke off as Gavriila sent Yuuri scrambling towards Victor with a savage glare and started out the bedroom door.

"Wow, she's really scary," Yuuri said, looking anxiously in the direction the old woman had gone, "She said she's a bodyguard sent by Yakov."

"Well, I don't think I need a bodyguard. I'll just tell Yakov it's too much. After all, the police haven't even concluded that what happened was anything but an accident."

"I did hear the car's engine accelerating," Yuuri reminded him.

"But the person could just have been very drunk. It could have been someone leaving the bar, as we were at the time."

"I know, but the person did just drive away after," Yuuri recollected.

"Either they were drunk and didn't know what they were doing or they tried to hit us on purpose and were escaping," Victor acknowledged, "but there wasn't enough evidence for the police to know for sure, so neither can we. We'll be careful, but I don't think we really need Gavriila."

"More like Godzilla," Yuuri said under his breath.

He colored as Gavriila appeared in the doorway and glared at Victor, who was still naked.

"I told you to wait until…"

"I have treatment for bruises."

"I've already taken my pain pill," Victor said, blinking in surprise as the old woman ignored him and strode forward, pushing him down onto the bed on his back as Yuuri skittered out of the way.

"Hey!" Victor objected, "I said I don't…"

"Shut up and lie still," Gavriila ordered, placing a restraining hand on the Russian skater's chest and using the other to press the warm, odd smelling compress to the large, dark bruised area on Victor's ribs.

"That…" Victor began, then he paused, blinking in surprise as the warmth seeped into torso and seemed to swiftly reduce the ache in his ribs, "That is _amazing_! Where did you learn to make that? Was it in your government training?"

"I learn in the field," Gavriila answered in an unaffected tone, "Sometimes necessity is best teacher. Compress works fast. Get up now."

Victor sat up on the bed, marveling at the lack of discomfort.

"It still looks ugly."

"It will heal faster now," the lady bodyguard informed him.

"Can you heal my wrist faster too?" Victor asked, seeming to forget that he was still naked.

"Joints are more difficult," Gavriila explained, "But I can put some on your face. Just don't get in your eyes or it will blind you. Hold still now."

"Wait, what?" Victor yelped, trying to pull away as Gavriila moved so she straddled his body and moved the compress to cut and bruised cheek, "Why are you sitting on me?"

"Don't move," the old woman scolded him, "I hold you still so it doesn't go in your eye."

"Well, maybe I don't want it near my…"

Victor's words ended suddenly in a dragging groan of relief.

"Oh my god, that feels so much better!" he sobbed gratefully, "I could kiss you!"

"Victor!" Yuuri objected.

"I would have to kill you," Gavriila said in a deadpan voice, climbing off of Victor and heading out the door again, "Get your clothes on so we can go."

"Yes ma'am," Victor snickered as she left the room, "You're right that she's scary, Yuuri, but that compress. I have to learn what's in it. It made the stinging go away so fast!"

"You do look a lot better, but are you sure it's not mostly that the pain pill took full effect."

Victor laughed and climbed out of bed. He picked up the clothes he had dropped when Gavriila had come in, and he began to dress as Yuuri retreated into the bathroom with his own clothing.

"Can I come in, Yuuri?" Victor asked, tapping on the bathroom door, "We need to hurry and get you to the ice rink."

"Just you," Yuuri said, cracking the door open to check the room.

"I think Gavriila is checking the house for signs of invasion," Victor giggled, slipping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

"I think she is the invasion," Yuuri complained, "Is she going to be living with us now? I don't know if I can handle that. What if she barges in while we're having sex or something."

"Just tell her to wait outside while we finish," Victor snickered.

"Victor! That's not funny!" Yuuri snapped.

"Take it easy. She'll be here a few days and then the police will say we're safe and she'll go. It's no big deal."

"Maybe not to you, but I don't like people seeing me naked!"

"But you are so very beautiful, _solnyshko_!" Victor purred, hugging him from behind.

"Will you please get ready. Like you said, we're gonna be late to practice. I don't want to waste my ice time."

"Hmm, a few minutes ago, you just wanted to stay home with me. Now, you're in a hurry to go?"

"Well, you seem okay now, right?"

"Except my head is still a little spinny from the concussion and my wrist aches a little even with the painkiller."

"Well, you won't be on the ice today. You'll just be watching me."

"I get an ice dance with you at the end," Victor pouted, "I don't fall down during our ice dancing."

"You shouldn't take chances with that concussion," Yuuri warned him.

"You worry too much!"

"No, I don't."

"Of course you do."

The two continued their half-serious arguing as they headed off to practice with Gavriila following in a dark colored sedan.

"Does she have to do that?" Yuuri asked, looking around, "She's blocking traffic, driving so slow."

"Stop worrying so much."

They reached the ice rink without incident and headed inside, where they found Yurio finishing up his practice. The younger Russian stepped off the ice and headed towards Yuuri and Victor quickly.

"What's up with him?" Victor mused softly.

"I thought you weren't coming today," he chided Victor, "You almost got killed last night."

"Thanks for the newsflash," Victor joked, "I hardly remember last night."

"I'm not surprised with your stupid drinking," Yurio huffed, "You look like shit. Go home, Victor. I'll help Yakov coach pork cutlet bowl today."

"I'm really okay," Victor assured him, his eyes softening at the younger man's gruff way of showing his concern, "I'm not going on the ice except at the end of his practice for our ice dance."

"You should be in bed resting!" Yurio snapped turning away from them and heading to where Otabek waited nearby.

"Victor, Yuuri, I'm glad to hear you weren't badly hurt last night."

"It's mostly bumps and bruises. I'll be fine in a few days," Victor said, brushing the matter off.

"That's good. I see that you have a bodyguard."

"Yes, I'm surprised that Yakov didn't send one for Yurio too, since he's also a top seeded skater."

"He offered to," Otabek explained, "but I am having him stay with me until we're sure we don't need one."

"Sure, he lets Yurio decide for himself, but he sends that Gavriila without even asking us!" Yuuri complained.

"Yuuri, we need to get started," Victor chided him, "Come on, now. Get your skates on."

Yurio joined Otabek and the two headed out of the ice rink together.

"So, what do you think?" Yurio asked, "You think there really might be someone trying to kill those two?"

"Hmm, I don't know enough to decide. But, we'll be careful until we know for sure. Come on, you must be hungry after that."

The two walked down the street, heading towards the nearby mall and food court, neither noticing the man who followed stealthily in their wake.


End file.
